"And Moses spoke unto the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel... he shall not break his word, according to all that comes from his mouth, he shall do." [Bamidbar 30.2-3]
Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest leader in our nation's history, gathers the heads of the tribes and teaches them the laws of nedarim, vows, whose message is loyalty to one's promises and honoring each word that passes one's lips.
This commandment, which on the face of it does not appear different from other commandments, should have been given directly by Moses to the people, as was generally the case. Why did Moses see fi to change his procedure and teach the laws of nedarim to the tribal leaders first? The foremost requirement of a leader is that he be loyal and true to his promises. A society whose leaders do not adhere to values of honesty and personal integrity cannot survive.
Truth and justice within society at large is impossible unless those who lead that society set an example in their personal and communal lives and dealings, as God says of Moses, "In all of my house, he is most loyal."
Political leaders, parties and movements compete for voters, all the while promising them the world in lifestyle, security and values. Too often, the moment of truth arrives and the promises disappear.
A clever person once observed: "Before elections the billboards talk to the people. After elections, the people might as well talk to the billboards."
A society whose leaders do not honor their words should not be surprised if injustice and dishonesty run rampant. For this reason Moses turns first to the nation's leaders to present the laws governing vows and personal commitments, before passing these words on to the rest of society.
